George Richards
Rev. George Richards (baptised 15 September 1767 - 30 March 1837) was an English poet and cleric. Life Richards was the son of James Richards, eventually vicar of Rainham, Kent, was baptised on 15 Sept. 1767. He was admitted at Christ's Hospital, London, in June 1776, and was then described as from Hadleigh in Suffolk. Charles Lamb knew him at school, and calls him "a pale, studious Grecian."Courtney, 212. On 10 March 1785 he enrolled at Trinity College, Oxford, becoming a scholar of his college in 1786, and earning a B.A. on 4 November 1788, and an M.A. on 11 July 1791. In 1790, when he took holy orders, he was elected to a fellowship at Oriel College, and remained there until 1796. He married Miss Parker of Oxford on 6 October 1796. From 1796 to 1824 he was one of the vicars of Bampton, and rector of Lillingstone Lovel in Oxfordshire. He was appointed Bampton lecturer in 1800, and select preacher in 1804 and 1811. In July 1824 he was appointed to the more valuable vicarage of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Westminster. There he erected at his sole cost a new vicarage, largely contributed towards the erection of the church of St. Michael in Burleigh Street, Strand, and served for some years as treasurer of Charing Cross Hospital. In 1799 he was elected F.S.A. He was made both a Bachelor and Doctor of Divinity in 1820. He became in 1822 a governor of Christ's Hospital, and founded there the Richards gold medal for the best copy of Latin hexameters. He died at Russell Square, London, on , and was buried in a special vault in the churchyard of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields on 6 April. Writing Richards published, besides the works already noticed: 1. ‘Songs of the Aboriginal Bards of Britain,’ 1792. 2. ‘Modern France: a Poem,’ 1793. 3. ‘Matilda, or the Dying Penitent,’ a poetical epistle, 1795. 4. ‘The Divine Origin of Prophecy illustrated and defended’ (Bampton Lectures), 1800. 5. ‘Odin,’ a drama, 1804. 6. ‘Emma,’ a drama on the model of the Greek theatre, 1804. 7. ‘Poems,’ 1804, 2 vols.; the first volume was dedicated to Lord Harcourt, the second to the Rev. William Benwell v.; most of the poems which he had previously published were reprinted in this collection. 8. ‘Monody on Death of Lord Nelson,’ 1806. Recognition At Oxford Richards gained two chancellor's prizes: in 1787 for Latin verse, on the subject Rex, a violentâ Regicidæ manu ereptus, cum Reginâ Oxoniam invisens, and in 1789 for an English essay "On the characteristic Differences between Ancient and Modern Poetry" (Oxford, 1789, and in Oxford Prize Essays, 1836, i. 241–76). In 1791 George Simon, earl Harcourt, gave anonymously a prize for an English poem on the Aboriginal Britons. This Richards won, and the donor of the prize became his lifelong friend. The poem was printed separately and in sets of Oxford Prize Poems. It was called by Charles Lamb "the most spirited" of these poems, and lauded by Byron in English Bards and Scotch Reviewers; De Morgan described it as "a remarkable youthful production." His portrait was painted by C. Ross, and was engraved, at the expense of the members of St. Martin's-in-the Fields vestry, by C. Turner in 1832. Publications Poetry *''The Aboriginal Britons: A poem. Oxford, UK: D. Prince / J. Cooke, 1791. *Songs of the Aboriginal Bards of Britain. Oxford, UK: J. Cooke, 1792. *''Modern France: A poem. Oxford, UK: J. Cooke, 1793. *''Matilda; or, The dying penitent: A poetical epistle''. Oxford, UK: J. Cooke, 1795. *''Poems''. (2 volumes), Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1804. *''Monody on Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson''. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, for J. Parker, et al, 1805. *''Poetical works'' (edited by Walter Scott). (3 volumes), 1810.Rev. George Richards (1767-1837), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Oct. 8, 2016. Plays *''Emma: A drama''. 1801.George Richards obituary in Gentleman's Magazine NS 7 (June 1837), 662-663. English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, Oct. 8, 2016. *''Odin: A drama''. 1804. Non-fiction *''An Essay: On the characteristic differences between ancient and modern poetry, and the several causes from which they result.. UK?: 1789? **also in ''Oxford English Prize Essays: Volume I, 241-273. *''A Sermon Preached ... before the Lord Mayor, aldermen, sheriffs, and governors''. London: 1793. *''Hints for Religious Conversation with the Afflicted in Mind, Body, or Estate''. Edinburgh: John Ogle, 1795. *''The Divine Origine of Prophecy: Illustrated and defended in a course of sermons''. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, for J. Parker, et al, 1800. *''Christian Watching Recommended: In a sermon''. London: R. & R. Gilbert, for F.C. & J. Rivington, 1817. *''The Immoral Effects of the Poor-laws Considered; in a sermon''. London: F.C. & J. Rivington, 1818. *''The Moral and Religious Character of Her Late Majesty a National Blessing: A sermon''. London: F.C. & J. Rivington, 1818. *''A Sermon Preached at ... St. Martin-in-the-Fields''. London: G. Roake, 1824. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:George Richards 1837, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Oct. 8, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Oct. 8, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *Rev. George Richards (1767-1837) info & 2 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About * Richards, George Category:18th-century poets Category:19th-century poets Category:English clergy Category:English poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets